Anxiety & Depression Treatment That Starts With a Doctor Who Listens.

Get evaluated this week, experience unhurried appointments that actually go somewhere, and text your doctor directly whenever you need support.

Cash-pay practice · We don't bill insurance · HSA/FSA eligible

Book a Free Intro Call View the Steady Ground Program
Same-week first appointment Progress measured at every visit Text/call your doctor between visits
Doctor consulting with patient about depression treatment

Sound Familiar?

Getting help for anxiety or depression shouldn’t feel this hard.

The system is designed for billing efficiency, not for people who are already struggling.

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The waitlist is long.

You finally reach out, but the next opening is months away. Every week matters. The window of willingness closes.

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Medication roulette with no guidance.

First SSRI didn’t work. Second one killed your libido. Third made you numb.

Nobody stopped to figure out why. They just switched you to the next one.

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No one to call when it gets bad.

A rough week hits. A side effect flares. And you’re stuck with portal messages, voicemails, and call centers.

The people managing your mental health are the hardest people to reach.

A Different Approach

What Treatment Should Actually Look Like

A plan you can actually see.

From day one, you know what happens next.

When your check-ins are. What we’re watching for. And what changes if something isn’t working.

Medication Guided by Your Biology

Optional pharmacogenomic testing helps identify which antidepressants are most likely to work for your genetic profile.

Less guesswork. Fewer failed trials.

A Doctor You Can Actually Reach

Text or call your doctor directly.

When a side effect hits or you’re having a bad stretch, you get a same-day response from the doctor who knows your full story.

The Steady Ground Program

Your Complete 90-Day Care Pathway

Here's exactly what's included in your 90 days — laid out so you know what you're getting before you commit.

The Core Medical Protocol

A full 60-minute evaluation in your first week. We take a complete psychiatric and medical history, run validated assessments, and rule out medical causes before starting anything.

From there: scheduled check-ins every 2–4 weeks for the full 90 days, with medication adjustments based on how you're actually responding. Your progress is measured at every visit so we're making decisions from data.

You can text or call your doctor directly between every visit.

Pharmacogenomic Testing (Optional)

A simple cheek swab that shows how your body processes different antidepressants. Instead of guessing which medication to try first, we use your genetic data to narrow the field.

Less guesswork. Fewer failed trials.

The Steady Ground Toolkit

Four printed clinical modules — delivered by your doctor at the visit where each one matters most:

Sleep: A protocol for improving sleep during treatment and managing early medication side effects.

Activity: A structured approach to rebuilding daily activity during the weeks when medication is still taking hold.

Energy & Structure: A framework that connects routine, energy pacing, and mood.

Family Support: A guide for partners or family members on how to provide meaningful support during treatment.

You're Not Starting Over After 90 Days

When your stabilization phase ends, you transition to simple monthly membership — same doctor, same direct access, same ongoing care.

Before that happens, we map out your long-term plan together: what's working, what to watch for, and how we keep you on track going forward.

One transparent fee: $550
Every appointment. Every check-in. Direct access to your doctor by text or phone. All evaluations, behavioral resources, and progress tracking — covered for your full 90 days.

Transparent Care

Two phases to long-term stability.

PHASE 1 · STABILIZATION

The 90-Day Steady Ground Program

Finding the right medication takes careful, responsive adjustment over weeks — not days. This covers your comprehensive evaluation and three full months of active monitoring to safely dial in your treatment.

$550
One-time fee covers your full first 3 months
INCLUDES ALL VISITS · DIRECT DOCTOR ACCESS · PRIMARY CARE
PHASE 2 · MAINTENANCE Starts Month 4

Ongoing Management

After your 90-day program, transition to a simple monthly membership for ongoing care, easy refills, progress monitoring, and priority doctor access.

18–35 $100/mo
36–59 $150/mo
60+ $200/mo
No long-term contracts · Cancel anytime

The Steady Ground Commitment

We stand behind the care experience we promise — unhurried visits, direct access, and active management of your treatment. If you’re not satisfied within the first 30 days, we’ll convert your care to a single consultation visit ($250) and refund the remaining $300. No hassle.

Start the Steady Ground Program
Evidence-based protocol No referral needed In-person & virtual visits
Dr. Lester Ferra, MD

Meet Your Doctor

Dr. Lester Ferra.

I'm a board-certified family medicine physician with experience treating depression and anxiety. I believe effective care starts with time, trust, and a doctor who actually listens.

At CompassMD, you get longer visits, direct access to me between appointments, and a structured treatment plan that treats your mental health as part of your whole health picture.

  • Board Certified · Family Medicine
  • Depression & Anxiety Treatment
  • Your Progress Tracked at Every Visit

Get Started

Let’s start the conversation.

A free 15-minute phone call with Dr. Ferra. No commitment, no pressure — just a chance to ask questions and see if this is the right fit.

Dr. Ferra reviews every inquiry personally and responds within 1–2 business hours.

Request an Intro Call

CompassMD is a cash-pay practice. The Steady Ground Program is $550 for 90 days. We do not bill insurance.

This is a relaxed, zero-obligation intro call.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

The Steady Ground Program is designed for adults ages 18 and older. While CompassMD provides general primary care for families, our structured anxiety and depression program is exclusively for adult patients.
No referral is needed. You can schedule directly with us. Because CompassMD is a Direct Primary Care practice, there is no insurance gatekeeping or prior authorization to get started.
Most patients are seen within the same week. Compare that to the 3-to-6-month waitlists for psychiatrists in the Milwaukee area.
Your first visit will be in person at our Wauwatosa, WI office for a thorough initial evaluation. After that, many follow-ups and check-ins can be handled virtually so you get ongoing care without disrupting your schedule.

Evaluation & Treatment

Board-certified family physicians manage the majority of anxiety and depression treatment in the United States. For mild-to-moderate depression, you typically do not need a psychiatrist. In fact, seeing a family physician is often advantageous because we assess your entire health picture—thyroid function, sleep, nutrition, chronic conditions—all of which directly affect mood. Dr. Ferra uses the same validated screening tools and evidence-based medication protocols used in psychiatric practice. If your condition requires specialized psychiatric care, we will coordinate that referral directly.
We dedicate a full 60 minutes to your comprehensive evaluation. This includes:
  • Validated depression and anxiety screening (PHQ-9, GAD-7).
  • A detailed review of your psychiatric history, medical history, and current symptoms.
  • Assessment of sleep, energy, appetite, concentration, and daily functioning.
  • Baseline labs to rule out medical conditions that mimic or worsen depression (thyroid, vitamin D, anemia, metabolic panel).
  • A collaborative treatment plan and—if appropriate—same-day medication initiation.
Absolutely. Many patients come to us because their current medication isn’t effective, causes intolerable side effects, or was never properly optimized. We’ll review your full treatment history, consider pharmacogenomic testing to guide medication selection, and build a plan that actually works for where you are now.
Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing is a simple cheek swab that analyzes how your body metabolizes different medications. The results help identify which antidepressants are most likely to work effectively for you and which ones you may process poorly. It doesn’t guarantee the “right” medication on the first try, but it significantly reduces the guesswork and the number of failed trials. PGx testing is optional and offered as part of the Steady Ground Program.
Patient safety is our top priority. The Steady Ground Program is designed for mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression. If during evaluation or treatment we determine that your condition requires specialized psychiatric care—such as treatment-resistant depression, active psychosis, bipolar disorder, or acute suicidality—we will personally coordinate your transition to the appropriate specialist. You will not be dropped or left without a clear path forward.

Pricing & Insurance

CompassMD is a cash-pay practice, which means we don’t bill insurance directly. The upside? No prior authorizations, no rushed visits, and no surprise bills. Dr. Ferra works directly for you and makes treatment decisions based purely on your clinical needs—not what an insurance company approves. If you’d like to seek out-of-network reimbursement, we’re happy to provide a superbill you can submit to your insurer. Your regular health insurance or GoodRx can still be used to cover medication costs at the pharmacy.
We use a simple, transparent two-phase pricing model:
  • Phase 1: The 90-Day Steady Ground Program ($550 upfront): Covers your comprehensive 60-minute evaluation and your first 3 full months of care, including all follow-ups, dose adjustments, progress tracking, behavioral resources, full primary care access, and direct text/call access to Dr. Ferra.
  • Phase 2: Ongoing Maintenance (starting Month 4): Transition to monthly membership at standard age-based rates — $100/mo (18–35), $150/mo (36–59), $200/mo (60+). No long-term contracts. Cancel anytime.
Patient safety and ethical care are our top priorities. If during your initial evaluation we determine that your symptoms are not caused by depression, or that your clinical situation requires a specialized psychiatrist, we will convert your visit to a standard $250 consultation fee and promptly refund you the remaining $300. You still leave with a clear understanding of what’s going on and a plan forward.
The program fees cover your specialized medical care, full primary care access, unlimited doctor access, all visits, progress tracking, and behavioral resources. Medications are paid directly to your pharmacy (most generic antidepressants are $4–$15/month). For baseline labs, we offer deeply discounted wholesale cash pricing, or we can route them to a local lab to be billed to your health insurance. Pharmacogenomic testing is optional and billed separately; many insurers cover it, and manufacturer programs can reduce out-of-pocket cost significantly.
Yes. DPC membership fees and program fees are eligible HSA/FSA expenses. We provide documentation for reimbursement.

Safety & Scope

The Steady Ground Program focuses on evidence-based antidepressant management (SSRIs, SNRIs, and other FDA-approved options). We do not prescribe benzodiazepines or other controlled substances as part of this program. If anxiety is a significant component of your presentation, we address it through appropriate non-controlled medications, behavioral strategies, and therapy referrals.
The Steady Ground Program is physician-led medical care, not psychotherapy. We provide The Steady Ground Toolkit — printed clinical resources covering sleep, activity scheduling, energy management, and family support — along with measurement-based progress tracking at every visit. For patients who would benefit from dedicated therapy (and many do), we maintain a trusted local referral network of therapists and can coordinate a warm handoff. The combination of medication management from us plus therapy from a qualified counselor is the gold-standard approach for moderate depression.
You have direct cell phone and text access to Dr. Ferra throughout the program. If a side effect hits, you’re having a bad stretch, or something changes, you reach out directly. Most urgent concerns are addressed same-day.

Ready to Feel Like Yourself Again?

No referral needed. No insurance hassles. Just a doctor with time to listen and a structured plan to get you there.

Book a Free Intro Call Wauwatosa, WI · In-person & virtual visits available
Book a Free Intro Call